BITE user comments - brodie_bruce
Comments by brodie_bruce
Goat and Tricycle, Bournemouth
Called past here for a couple of pints and a meal on Friday night while on a weekend out of the big smoke - saw it on the way past and thought it might be worth a visit and then had it recommended by the proprietor of our hotel.
Lovely pub. Think there were 10 ales on tap and a cider or two - tried three of them and all three went down a treat. The fish and chips definitely filled a corner while the burger my partner in crime ordered looked pretty good too. Helpful and friendly staff too.
If you're in Bournemouth and enjoy a pint then this place is worth a visit
9 Apr 2012 20:38
Perfectly serviceable Friday night pub with very friendly service (unlike a new venue visited last week for the first time)
Only minor complaint was that for a Fullers pub there wasn't a huge selection - Pride and ESB from memory and suspect there was Honeydew as well. Still, the Pride was far from the worst one I'll ever have.
Oh, and why do pubs have television going when there's nothing really to watch on? There's only so much Sky Sports News one person can watch without turning slightly zombie-like.
21 Jan 2012 12:34
Nice pub....
Called past after having one or two around the corner and on the way to the next place - nice and busy, friendly atmosphere and polite, efficient staff.
It's a bit out my stomping ground but if I was in the area and fancied a pint I'd stop off for one.
15 Jan 2012 19:58
I'd had friends speak highly about this pub so may have had the hopes built up a bit high before my visit.
It was ok which I guess is damning with faint praise - having chosen this pub for the first pint of 2012 our wait was increased that little bit more by a complete lack of barstaff and only two ales on tap (annoyingly one wasn't the Wandles which had a bit of advertising up around the place). The UBU was alright though.
Another oddity was when the brunch menus were removed and replaced with the evening menu - went to order food and was told it's not on yet despite having just received the menu (which didn't have kitchen hours).
I'd like to say if I was in the area I'd stop off for one......but really, I'd wander around to the Ednboro Castle (which in the end was exactly what we did).
15 Jan 2012 19:55
What happened to a previous comment about the Red Lion being a real pub for real people?
11 Nov 2011 14:06
Adding another review to comment that the landlord at the Red Lion does take the time to read these reviews and did contact me personally to confirm that I had been overcharged a touch for my pint and lime and soda water as mentioned in an earlier post and offered to refund the difference. So, pub rating duly amended upwards to reflect this.....
And yes, I do still frequent the Red Lion as it is on the doorstep (if Santa Maria next door are busy then there's time for a pint while your pizza cooks) and have had fantastic service from two of the staff there so credit once again.
Now as for this carping on about a few pennies......really? If I was that keen on saving 20p I'd go to the Wetherspoons but I don't. I want to like this pub and on a warm, sunny day in the garden or out the front on the benches it is very easy too but there does come a point where ��� does make a difference. Probably should be taking that to my MP as I am an Ealing local too after all.
15 Jul 2011 14:23
Back again and can report that the Rose and Crown is open for business.
It was a nice enough local pub before however the refit has livened it up a bit without going over the top.
The Sunday roast was much improved on the last visit (although possible a touch expensive if you opt for the lamb - �11.95 - when the Kings Arms and New Inn do a cracking carvery for �9.95).
Efficient service, reasonably priced, did resemble a creche at times and a nice beer garden (shame it was pi55ing down today). Added bonus is the Seafarers on top (I do like to make my regular contribution to charity.......).
5 Jun 2011 20:48
Overrated.......and expensive.
�5.50 for one pint (admittedly the Fullers tercentenary Ascot but still, it's not infused with gold flakes) and a lime and soda water? Really?
Shame as it's my closest pub but the best advice I can give right now is to keep walking past the Red Lion and try the Rose and Crown instead......
5 Jun 2011 20:24
A dress code? Really?
Most of the times I've been there (more than I care to admit to) I've been in jeans and a t-shirt.
Admittedly I was generally the scruffiest one in there but still........
27 May 2011 14:34
Hmmmm, called past here on Friday for a pint but the place was in darkness and looked like ladders and drop sheets inside.
I hope it's just a refurb and that the place hasn't closed down! Out of the three Fullers pubs around the area, the Rose and Crown was still my favourite even after the Sunday roast incident.
3 Apr 2011 21:33
It's alright......handily close to work to wash the day away.
Touch expensive (then again, understandable considering the location) but what really annoys me about the place is that the royal london is actually cold upstairs which is just wrong.
23 Oct 2010 18:29
Went here a few weeks ago for a Sunday roast and can honestly say that it was the worst roast I've ever had. Lamb was stringy, had a couple of mangy looking carrots on the plate and the roast potatoes were dismal. Mentioned it to the waitress at the time and was told we could speak to the manager if we wanted to wait - we didn't (well, couldn't) so e-mailed later but not a word back.
Shame as it's a pub I want to like - nice range of beer, still has Seafarers on tap, it's handy and up until that last meal the food was good too (had a cracking pie a month or so before that roast).
Give it a few months and I'll try again.....but I might look at what the roasts coming out from the kitchen are like first (otherwise I'll be nipping back to the Wheatsheaf).
23 Oct 2010 18:24
Called in here for the first time recently and yeah, definitely worth a return visit......
Nicest pint of Guinness I've had in a good while and the first toasted special I've had since I lived in Dublin (brought back a hazy memory or two).
6 Dec 2009 18:54
I used to like this pub - it's not my all time favourite Chiswick pub (more of a George IV or Old Packhorse fan) but it always thought it was a decent enough boozer.
Has dipped quite a bit in my estimation though as I contacted them several times to try and arrange a christmas meal without a single response to voicemail, e-mail or messages left through the website.
Ah well.
6 Dec 2009 18:50
Lovely pub with the most famous (and spoilt) dog within 5 miles of St Pauls!
The Ringwood Fortyniner is a pleasant addition......
13 Sep 2009 17:16
Nice pub and handily close to the office.
I'll be going back and will have to try out a pie one of these days.....
13 Sep 2009 16:59
Nice enough pub, the Fullers beers are well kept as you'd hope and booths at the front of the pub are a pleasant enough place for a pint (or six).
Despite this it's not one of my favourite pubs in Ealing - seems that bit more expensive than the other Fullers pubs around Ealing and if you're not in one of the booths up the front, the benches out the front or the beer garden out the back it feels like you're sitting in a great big corridor.
13 Sep 2009 16:52
The only problem with this place closing is that the locals will need to find somewhere else to go......
Apart from that - no major loss.
22 Oct 2008 15:06
Hey, where'd my review go?
Was in here last Sunday to watch the rugby - the place has had a lick of paint and looks semi-respectable, service was fine (friendly even) and the menu wasn't bad at all.
14 Oct 2007 17:48
Bit of a dump, surly patrons and bar staff but it did serve Sharps Doom (which was pretty well kept) so for that reason alone if I'm in the area I'd go back again.
14 Oct 2007 17:46
I was in there on Saturday......not sure what happened to the place but looks like most of the atmosphere went along with the old decor. Sure, it looks better after a lick of paint but somehow it's a bit sterile in there.
Beer was passable but I can't see myself going back there.
10 May 2007 15:13
Visited this pub for lunch yesterday - thai meal was really good and pretty good value for money - and ended up staying for a few more hours (not to mention pints). I think this is the only pub I've been to where the pride was actually drinkable......
I'll defintely be back for another pint or two sometime soon.
16 Oct 2006 17:04
Has this place closed down?
I've driven past there a couple of times recently and the sign out the front has been taken down and it looks like the place is being gutted.....
I'll give it a 6 because it was a good pub to watch football in but one of the bar staff always tried to pour me a shitty pint and then moaned when I sent it back.
21 Sep 2006 12:07
The Weir Bar and Dining Room, Brentford
Ended up venturing in here Friday night after sampling the mixed delights of the Magpie and Crown (just finished reviewing it earlier).
Had a pint of London Pride in the garden and it was ok, but was the only beer on tap. Still, the whole sitting outside in a beer garden with a pint and with the canal in background was a nice way to start Friday night.
I'm not sure that I'd eat there though....
26 Jun 2006 13:04
The Magpie and Crown, Brentford
Inspired by all the comments about this place and seeing as I've lived in Brentford for getting on to two years and never managed to make it in to the Magpie and Crown I thought I'd give it a try.
The first thought that sprang to mind was that 'this is a local pub for local people'. The second thought was now I've finally gotten my pint maybe I'll finish this pint up (which was definitely drinkable but wasn't the best pint I've had all year) and move on elsewhere as it was just a bit dirty (the toilets were pretty disgusting for starters).
Still, maybe I just timed my trip badly - I could think of worse ways of spending a sunny afternoon than sitting out the front on one of the benches with a thai meal and a few pints. It's just that you'd probably be much more likely to find me in the Lord Nelson, that's all.
26 Jun 2006 12:55
It's not the worst place in Reading that you could choose to swap your hard earned cash for alcohol in. Fairly unpretentious, amazingly easy to end up totally trolleyed, standard shit on tap, despite all of which I've had a few good nights in there - it's a Walkabout.
Bouncers can be right pricks though. I'm Australian and went there with some English mates a while back - one of the bouncers screams at a tiny English girl "Did you just call me fahkin' oztralyian" and starts waving his fist at her, hopefully because he has a st george's cross ring on there. She fires back "No, but he's an aussie though" to which the bouncer replies "You can all just fahrk off then".
Tosser.
13 Jun 2006 16:51
Waxy's Little Sister, Piccadilly Circus
On a cold, wet afternoon in winter there's nothing better than sitting upstairs in Waxy's Little Sister for a few pints (especially if you get drinks sent up on the dumb waiter).
Unfortunately a couple of weeks ago I had one of the worst pints of Guinness I've ever had - what made it worse was the barman was a cocky little Irish fella who had the nerve to try and get away with calling it a pint.
I'll poke my nose in there again sometime but it won't be any time soon.
8 Jun 2006 11:00
If there's ever a pub that confirms the old adage "never judge a book by it's cover then the Raven is it.
I've been past this pub a few times since landing in London and was always put off by the "old man's local" exterior. Had to go there for a flatmate's birthday drinks and it turned out to be a surprisingly good pub.
Decent pint, music wasn't bad, bar staff were friendly (unlike some pubs in the area where the bar staff look at you like something they've just stood in).
Only downside was that the guest ale was off but the Guinness more than made up for it.
5 May 2006 12:16
Was up in Oxford last weekend and after a mate asked me to check out the turf tavern I thought I'd better oblige.
Took a little bit to find but it was definitely worth the trip - felt a bit old in there as it was full of students (but hey, I was in Oxford so that's more of an observation than a complaint).
Considering it was a chilly night in February I quite enjoyed sitting outside under the heaters nursing a pint or two. I'd go back again, if only to sample one or two other beers....
17 Feb 2006 15:35
It's not just Oxford thesps who call this pub their own - was in there last Saturday and there was a good old crowd in there.
Beer was extremely drinkable, service was ok. One or two pissed punters but nothing out the ordinary.
I'd go back there for a pint.
17 Feb 2006 15:31
Cheapish beer and a big screen for sports. Food isn't too bad either.
Had a decent night in there a few weeks ago when we found there was some live music out the back. I'd definitely go again if only because of that.
Had to complain about a few pints in there on a recent visit - a grumpy little barman poured some of the worst pints of lager I've seen in a long, long time.
31 Jan 2006 13:04
Nice pub.
Planned on staying for one or two pints Friday night with a mate before moving on to the North Star but found ourselves some seats, the Discovery was pretty tasty so somehow ended up staying for seven or eight.
Bit smokey (yeah, I know....I did reek of smoke afterwards) but that's about the worst of it. I'll be going back for a few pints in the near future.
31 Jan 2006 10:11
Went back there for a few on Friday night and it's gone downhill.....
I rang Friday afternoon to make sure we could get a bite to eat in there and was told that food was served until 8:30. Arrived in there at 6:30 only to be told by a fairly smug, obnoxious bar manager that they don't do food on Friday because it's "a busy pub".
I've seen the tap on a busy Friday night and that definitely wasn't busy. Wonder if the staff attitude has anything to do with it?
19 Dec 2005 17:28
Had a few pints in here last night with a mate who recently moved back to the area, nice atmosphere, reasonably priced drinks and I'm guessing good for watching the football.
I'll be back sometime.
4 Dec 2005 19:19
One of my old haunts when I used to live in Reading - had great bar staff for a while but they were a bit crap towards the end.
Definitely one of the better pubs in Reading for a pint.
2 Dec 2005 12:55
Met a few people in there last night before going on to the garage - it's a wetherspoons so if you don't expect too much you won't be disappointed.
Cheap beer, abysmal service - I was at the bar waiting for to be served and could clearly hear the bar staff making smart arse comments about the punter before me ("if he's not gay then he certainly should be"). Had a few hassles with my change too.
I might go in there again if I've got something on at the garage but otherwise it's pretty unlikely.
23 Nov 2005 12:56
Nice pub, shame about the rude, obnoxious patrons (one guy walked past and drank my companion's wine claiming it was his) and the tosser behind the bar.
Shame. The nouveau beajolais wasn't bad at all.
20 Nov 2005 11:41
Interesting history but that's about it....went there last night with a friend who just finished reading a Jack the Ripper book.
Beer was shit, staff were completely uninterested in doing anything and the music was just plain horrible (I vaguely recall hearing 'Wham').
20 Sep 2005 09:41
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The White Lion, Arreton
Have to admit I was a bit disappointed by this pub - at the time I visited there was Doom, Landlord and Greene King IPA on tap. All of which are ok but I thought there may have been a local brew that may have been available. Bit over Doom as had a few rough ones in the past (possibly a case of quantity over quality) and just not a fan of the other two but I digress.
Sunday roast was pretty ordinary and even allowing for the place being fairly flat out, food took ages (almost forty minutes) to arrive. The table next to me were less than impressed by their meal while the table next to them had their order stuffed up.
Will give it the benefit of the doubt being Easter Sunday and the previous reviews but still......
9 Apr 2012 20:44